The Redemption of Regret
by Pinkjodz-Jodie92
Summary: After becoming involved with the company, Claire's life is torn apart. What happens when her family neglect her presence when she needs them the most? Peter/Claire/Sylar
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer:**I don't own anyone in this fic. They all belong to Tim Kring.  
**A/N:**Well, just so you know everyone, it's me 'Pinkjodz'. I decided to create a new account due to losing all my fics after my computer crashed and not having the heart to delete the unfinished ones on my old account...I know I'm sad haha. But anyway, I will finish all the fics I put on here, plus I love fresh starts! So here is my new fic on my new account. I have an English Language exam next week so I was trying to practise my creative and description writing techniques so that's why some parts are kinda weirdly descriptive :) Anyway, I hope you enjoy and please review!  
**Summary:** After becoming involved with the company, Claire's life is torn apart. What happens when her family neglect her presence when she needs them the most?

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**The Redemption of Regret **

**Chapter 1**

Sylar turned his head slowly around to face the young girl who was sitting in a chair behind him, her face rigid with a fearful anger. Her arms, strapped tight against her sides shook violently as she struggled to break free from the chains that were beginning to embed themselves into her pale, quivering arms.

"There's no need to detest, dear Claire. The more you struggle, the more my mind growls with hunger…"

"Shut up! Just shut up!" Claire screeched as she rattled the chains violently in a further attempt to break free.

"Shhhh…" Sylar spoke quietly as he gently brushed his blood covered hand across the young girl's distraught face. Claire winced as she felt the coldness of the almost flirtatious man's hand send shivers up and down her spine. With a deadly essence of charm, Sylar smiled as he noticed the girl's breathing become faster as she tried to catch her breath, awaiting his next move. Her heartbeat raced and pulsated as he walked small circles around the shivering teenager, every now and again, gently stroking her skin he would whisper "Shhhh…" to her in a gentle, calming voice. But being calm wasn't on Claire's agenda.

"So sweet and tender. So…" Sylar paused for a moment and cupped Claire's frightened face in his hands. "So young," he whispered quietly into her ear before planting a soft kiss on her forehead. "You must think bad of me Claire. We haven't had the, best of…experiences with each other. Have we?" Shaking her head quickly, Claire continued to try and cut loose from the thick metal chains that covered her body like poison ivy. She should have been able to feel the coldness of the metal, mixing together with the warmth of her own blood, she should have felt the solid steel knocking against her brittle bone…but she couldn't.

Claire wasn't scared of Sylar physically harming her…she was indestructible. But her heart was weak and frail, easily hurt and easily broken. She'd been broken many times in her life, her limbs torn apart, yet she could never feel physical pain like she could feel mental pain. Cuts and bruises never hung around too long. Each fragment of disfiguration had always vanished before it had even began. But the pain she held deep within her heart, a pain far too painful to even think about or reflect on, cut deeper into her each day that she lived, every day more painful than the last.

Sighing lightly, Claire looked up a the man as he began to pace around the room, his eyes never leaving Claire's. His gaze was fixated on Claire's tormented grey eyes that were dull with depression and fear. He was completely and utterly mesmerised by the darkness hidden behind her midnight black pupils. He knew exactly what she'd been through, he'd seen it time and time again in his dreams. He knew far too well about Claire's broken heart and her frail, frail mind. He was well aware she was helpless.

"Someone will find me you know…"

Claire sighed…who was she kidding? No one knew where she was…no one really cared.

It had only been a few months ago that Claire had been on a high when she'd finally found something that helped her play a part in saving the world. She'd been sucked into company business, tracking down people with abilities who were too careless to use them appropriately, and bring them down. Down enough that they were put to their graves. For months Claire's desire was to hunt these insolent 'criminals' down, and make them pay for what they had done. She'd turned from cute little Clairebear…into an animal. Her family began to become distant after months of trying to wean Claire off of her fix. She'd become bloodthirsty. No one knew her anymore. Her good friend, and uncle Peter tried his hardest to make Claire's work avoidable, taking her out for ice cream and trying to take her mind off of the needless things she had dedicated her life too.

But then everyone gave up…

"She's not worth it anymore…" Angela Petrelli would say, "She's too far gone…"

"Just another company girl gone wrong." Elle would smite. She knew all along the outcome of Claire's obsessions…she'd been there, and overcome the thirst.

Claire and Elle were the best of friends once upon a time. Sharing company anecdotes and giving each other tips. They'd enjoyed the time while it had lasted. But then all hell let loose and Claire was convinced by her fellow company workers that Elle was dangerous and was to be taken down. From friends, to enemies, it all happened too fast. Elle could never believe how sweet cheerleader Clairebear had turned into an almost demonic killer. It was too hard to believe.

"Thinking of something Claire?" Sylar's charming yet sly voice wriggled itself into Claire's mind, snapping her back into reality. Claire shook her head as tears began to gently trickle from her sorrowful eyes. All her family…her father Nathan, uncle Peter and best friend Elle…they were all nothing to her now…

Looking up at Sylar with a painful expression, Claire's eyes widened as the man dropped down to the floor, an enraged expression spread across his sweat covered face. He brought his knees up to his chin, almost hugging his knees in an attempt to struggle away from the pain. Claire watched as his eyes writhed in his face, bloodshot as they drowned amongst the tears.

"Claire?" A familiar voice spoke softly through the painful cries of the almost lifeless man on the floor.

Claire looked up. A look of shock and relief spread across her face as the familiar figure strode heroically towards the young girl, his arms gently wrapping around Claire as he whispered soothing words in her ears. Tears began to fall like waterfalls down her now blushing red cheeks. He was here…and that was all that mattered.

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Thank for you for reading and I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Please let me know in a review what you thought about it ( Please don't be harsh :) )


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N:** Here is the next chapter for those who are interested :) I slightly changed where this fic is heading to but I think it makes more sense than it would have been. So yeah... as you may have noticed, some characters may seem 'out of character' but I intended to happen because everyone does change once in a while, right? Anyway, before I start to ramble on with my randomess, I hope you enjoy this chapter and yeah, thanks for reviewing and reading! You make it all worth while :)

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**Chapter 2**

"You came back for me…why?" Claire spoke quietly as she looked up at the man who was now kneeling down in front of her in a familiar looking lounge. The man shook his head slowly and brushed his hand gently across Claire's face.

"I never lost hope in you Claire. I knew with time, you'd be on our side again. I knew you'd never hurt me."

"But you hurt me, Peter…You left me when I needed you the most. I thought that I could rely on you Pete…"

"But Claire, you put a gun to my god damn head!" Peter interrupted in an angered manner. Standing up in a swift force of rage, he swiped a vase full of beautiful blood-red roses off of the coffee table, shattering the handmade case into millions of tiny fragments. Claire winced as she saw Peter's aggressive mannerisms twitch with anger. She'd made him like this…

She remembered back to that day, a Tuesday evening when all was quiet in the Petrelli household. Claire had been digging herself a deep hole of depression and had decided to take some time out in her bedroom, gazing out of the window like she always did. She remembered so clearly when her favourite uncle Peter had knocked lightly on her door and gently whispered her name. Claire sighed as the memories continued to haunt her mind. 'Claire, this has to end' he had whispered sweetly, calmly walking over to the young girl and putting his strong arm around her. 'Claire, these missions of yours aren't helping save the world…you're creating more damage'. Claire remembered that at this point, she could feel her blood boiling inside her, she could feel the rage within her just tearing her apart. 'Claire, are you listening to me?' Peter had been determined to turn Claire's life around again, he'd missed Claire's happy-go-lucky spirit and her young, high school ways. 'Claire, you have to stop!' And then was when it all cascaded down. Claire remembered jumping up from her place on the bed and pushing Peter away from her, she remembered her hand reaching inside her pocket digging around for her gun, she remembered holding the gun up against Peter's head and threatening to pull the trigger, 3, 2, 1...but she could never do it…

"Pete…" Claire breathed slowly, trying to pull herself away from her deadly visions. Gently resting her hand on his shoulder, she softly kissed his neck…but Peter pulled away before she even had chance for her cold lips to touch his warm skin.

"Not now Claire, this isn't the time." He spoke in an agitated manner. "I won't let this happen again, _none _of this can happen again." Peter looked up at Claire with deep sorrow-ridden eyes and bowed his head. "I'm sorry Claire…" He whispered softly as he stepped back away from the young girl who was about to breakdown in front of him. But before she could even move an inch towards the man, she felt herself pulled back into the shadows, darkness suddenly eroded Claire's mind as the image of Peter's tears drifted away like a blissful breeze.

**XXX**

"Huh? Where am I?" Claire wondered as she awoke from her deep sleep to find herself in a large, spacious room, the walls covered the top to bottom in pink floral wallpaper and the whole room filled with an almost angelic light. _Where could she possibly be? _This wasn't _her _home. She looked around, her eyes fluttering from one object to another, observing the stuffed bear covered bed and the rows after rows of Cds and Dvds that were all placed neatly on shelves. Raising her eyebrow as Claire noticed the large amounts of photos of herself covering the surrounding walls, Claire noticed that every single one of them contained a tall, dark haired man. He looked familiar, although Claire couldn't work out just who he was. Claire smiled to herself as she wondered who on earth he could be, and why there were so many pictures of her and this mysterious man that she never knew had even been taken. Perhaps they'd be photoshopped! That must be it, Claire thought to herself.

Getting up from her warm, comfy bed and making her way to the door, Claire began to wonder what was ahead of her. What if she'd been kidnapped? Was this all some kind of trick? Surely it couldn't have been.

Turning the handle slowly, Claire wandered down the halls until she reached a closed door where she was certain she could just about hear a male voice. Putting the side of her head against the door, she tried her hardest to listen to the mysterious voice.

'Claire will be alright, I promise you' was all she heard as she pressed her ear harder against the door. Did this mean they actually knew her? As Claire slowly backed away from the door, about to investigate the house more thoroughly, the door opened suddenly and a young, tall man walked towards her. And boy, was he handsome.

"Claire, you're awake…how are you doing?"

Gobsmacked, all Claire could say was "I'm okay," before shaking her head in confusion. He was the guy in the many pictures that were taking over the walls in the strange room she'd woken up in.

Cocking his head to one side, Peter examined Claire.

"You sure you're okay?"

The young girl nodded and then smiled up at the mysterious man who smiled back at her which caused Claire to blush.

"So, you coming out with me for ice cream Clairebear?"

Claire, afraid of the embarrassment of asking the man who he was, went along with the flow and nodded eagerly. Going out for ice cream? And Clairebear? Well…this was going to be awkward.

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Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Please, if you could spare a moment, please leave me a review and tell me what you think (Nice only please :) )


	3. Chapter 3

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A/N:

Hey guys. Here's the next chapter. I may only continue this for my own entertainment purposes because of the lack of interest, but I may start another fic instead. I have lots of ideas and stuff so yeah, look out for the new stuff :) Like always I hope you enjoy this chapter and please review and tell me what you think (nice only please)  


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**Chapter 3**

Holding on to the man's arm tightly, Claire shuffled alongside him, trying to keep up with his fast, determined pace. She could sense that he seemed to be hiding something, because his face seemed troubled and full of concern.

"Right, here we are," the man smiled as he halted outside the small ice cream parlour. "Your favourite place." He spoke calmly his face full of happiness now.

A confused look secretly spread itself across Claire's face as she tried not to look the man in the eye. For a man she had never made contact with before, he certainly thought he knew a lot about her. Placing his arm firmly across Claire's back, the man began to gradually guide her into the unfamiliar little ice cream parlour.

As Claire took a seat next to the man by the window, she could feel his eyes studying her, a strange look was plastered on his face.

"So, erm, you wanna go around the city tonight? See the lights and all. You know, it could be fun."

"Er yeah…great," Claire murmured as she watched the man once again studying her face.

"Are you feeling okay Claire? You don't seem yourself," the strange man spoke softly as he placed one of his hands on top of Claire's while the other hand gently brushed through his own dark brown hair. Claire smiled shyly at the man as her cheeks blushed a bright red colour.

"I'm fine. Really, I'm fine. Just a little tired, that's all," Claire mumbled as she lied through her teeth.

"Not enough sleep, eh?" The man raised an eyebrow as he spoke. He knew Claire was lying. He also knew that Claire had slept for the whole day yesterday, which as strange as it sounded was exactly what the man was expecting to happen. He knew the consequences of what he had done.

Claire shrugged and looked down at her lap. She could feel the man's eyes burning through her skin. She could feel him watching her every move. She had so many questions to ask him, yet she couldn't pluck up the courage to confront the man. Who was he? How did he know her? The man was a complete mystery. And why were there so many pictures of the two of them in the peculiar room that the young girl had woken up in? It was all a mystery to Claire.

Clearing his throat, the man tried to start up a conversation with Claire who was just starring at her milkshake in front of her.

"So, Nathan's back in town. He's looking forward to seeing you."

"Dad?" A look of shock spread suddenly across her surprised face. The man knew her father?!

"Yeah…" The man cocked his head to one side in confusion as he took in Claire's surprised expression. What was up with Claire?

**XXX**

Walking down the driveway of the house they'd exited out of this morning, the man put his arm gently around Claire's back. Claire, feeling rather uncomfortable, tried shuffling away but felt fairly guilty after noticing the man's hurt expression. Desperately she wanted to know who he was, desperately she wanted to sort out this whole confusing situation, but she knew she couldn't without hurting people in the process.

"Claire?" The man asked with a worried expression, "have I done something wrong?"

The young girl shook her head as she turned her upset expression away from the man. He seemed to know even more about Claire than Claire herself did, he seemed to know her too well to be just some guy. He seemed so kind and caring, surely he meant something to her.

"Tell me Claire…you know you can tell me if something is wrong," the man spoke quietly and calmly as he gently cupped Claire's chin in his hands. When he noticed Claire's reluctance as she continued to look away from the man, he smiled softly before gently brushing a hand across Claire's blushing cheek.

"I'm sorry Claire…"

**XXX**

Hours had passed and Claire had secluded herself in what seemed to be 'her' room. She'd heard her fathers name echo around the halls, so she guessed that perhaps this was his house…well, their house. It was strange the feeling she felt as she inspected the room. She knew her father well, yet she felt that memories were missing of him, she felt almost broken. Parts of her life seemed to be shattered and unknown, nothing seemed right anymore.

"Claire? Are you coming out?" Claire heard a soft voice whispering through her door. It was late, but still Claire arose from her place on the bed and opened the door slowly to find the man she'd spent the day with. "May I come in?"

Claire nodded and beckoned the man to enter. It was wrong that she was welcoming a stranger into her room, yet it felt so right.

"I er, I was w-worried about you. You don't s-seem right…" the man stuttered as he sat next to Claire on the bed, his hands placed nervously in his lap and his gaze fixated on the floor.

"Why?"

"You don't seem right…"

"Don't seem right?"

"You're not my Claire anymore, you're distant, hiding away in your room, flinching away from me! You're not the Claire I used to know…" The man spoke frantically fast as he arose from the bed and began to pace around the room.

A confused Claire just gazed at his strange behaviour with her mouth open. 'His Claire'? What was that all about?

"What's going on Claire?" The man asked with a pained expression spread sharply across his worried and anxious face.

Claire just simply shrugged and got up also from her place on the bed.

"I'm finding da…"

"No Claire," the man interrupted as he pushed Claire back a step. Claire gasped as small blue sparks shot out of the mans hands which almost collided with her bare skin. Her eyes widened with fear as she desperately tried to find an escape route. She had to get out of there, he was a monster. "Tell me what's wrong. You must Claire. You can trust me."

"Trust you? Why the hell should I trust you?!" Claire yelled as she shoved past the man and ran full pelt down the stairs, leaving the man with a shocked and hurt expression on his face. What had he done?…

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**Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Please review =]**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: **Yes, so I finished school on Thursday! Wahey! So now I have more time for fics and vidding. Anyway, here is the next chapter and thank you for the reviews :) I really appreciate them :D So yes...Mr Mystery is revealed which some of you may be happy about, so yeah, hope you all enjoy this chapter! And please don't forget to review :)

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**Chapter 4**

Claire sat in front of her father in the dining room. She rested her hands gently in her lap as she tried her best to avoid her fathers eye contact. She could feel the strange variety of feelings and emotions literally tearing at her mind, they were bursting to escape the prison they'd been caught up in.

"What's up with you Claire? You've never been like this before. Are you being bullied? Are you ill?" Nathans face looked genuinely concerned. He'd sensed that something was wrong with Claire and immediately thought of one thing…surely, it couldn't have been that…

Claire shook her head as she looked over at the man who was sitting some fair distance away from her, his eyes looked hurt and lifeless. He looked sad. This man surely meant something to Claire, he had to. He couldn't have just been a stranger. This was Claire's moment of truth. She knew that by telling her father everything that had happened and everything that she'd felt, he'd be able to make everything better again. She could always remember him telling her that he could make anything possible. He was her hero. Perhaps her father would kick the man out of the house for using those strange almost electrical rays that had almost killed her. Or perhaps he already knew about the mans bewildering behaviour. Was this man even human? And if he cared for her, why did couldn't he control the anger that had nearly killed Claire.

"He nearly killed me…" Claire spoke quietly, almost embarrassed as she noticed the mans confused expression. Both men had exactly the same expression spread across their concerned faces. It was almost scary for Claire…

"He nearly killed you? Claire…"

"He shot blue lightning things at me! Dad you have to do something!"

But all Nathan did was laugh. He'd heard this all before.

"That again, eh? I thought you two would cut that out." He laughed softly. Jokes were an everyday occurrence in the Petrelli household…well, at least they used to be. "But seriously Claire, what's wrong? Why did you start on Peter like this? What's going on between the two of you?"

"Peter?" Claire spoke quietly, looking over at the young man. So that was his name…Peter. But still, who was he? The name sounded so familiar yet she couldn't make out who he was.

"Yes Peter…" Nathan nodded at the girls blunt and strange response. It was almost although she was unsure of who Peter was, in Nathans eyes.

Claire looked over to 'Peter' who now had his head in his hands. He knew what had happened, he knew everything. He'd done this to Claire…

There was a slight pause before Claire spoke again. Her expression, dull and worried made Peter's eyes water. He knew that something could have gone wrong but he'd agreed to the terrible decision he'd made just days ago…and it had, much to his disappointment and shame. Everything was meant to be okay. Peter's plan was meant to work.

"Who is Peter?" There…she'd said it. Would everything be okay now? She knew that all her confusion was best in the open, she knew that someone had to help her.

"I knew it, I knew that something wasn't right. Why didn't you say so sooner?! Why Claire?" Peter jumped up from his seat in rage. His eyes looked destroyed and his face was a bright red colour. He felt humiliated…angered. He'd done this. "I knew she wasn't right. It has backfired Nath, everything has gone wrong. This was meant to help, put an end to everything. But I've failed again. I'm so sorry Claire…"

Claire looked up at the sorrowful man that was slowly walking towards her.

"What's going on?" Claire asked softly as the man wrapped his strong, comforting arms softly around her.

"It's a long, long story…"

**XXX**

"I can't believe this is happening," Claire whispered as she looked down at the ground. "I really did that?"

Peter nodded slowly as he pushed a few strands of stray hair behind the young girl's ear. "So, I really went super crazy with that company crap, nearly killed you, betrayed my family and then…" Claire paused for a moment. "Then you had my memory erased?…"

Peter nodded once again as a frown spread across Claire's hurt face.

"It was for the best Claire. Besides, you weren't supposed to forget things you know."

Claire smiled as Peter stuck out his tongue at her, this time is was a genuinely happy smile. Everything seemed to be slotting into place nicely now. Well, apart from her lost memories of Peter.

"So are you my brother?" Claire paused once again, slightly embarrassed about what she was about to ask. She felt shy about talking to the man about these type of things, yet she needed to know. "Or my boyfriend?"

Peter laughed and stroked Claire's cheek gently. "Your uncle Claire…uncle. Anyway, I'm a little too old for you, don't you think?"

This time it was Claire that nodded. She could feel another frown appearing on her face and desperately tried to hide it.

"So, we're related?"

"Correct."

"And you're my dads brother?"

"Yup."

"So how come I remembered everyone…apart from you."

Instead of giving Claire a straight and quick answer, Peter's soft face turned sad broken. "I don't know," he murmured quietly, feeling rather hurt, embarrassing and concerned all at the same time. "I really don't know…"

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**Thank you for reading and I hope you have enjoyed this chapter! Don't forget to check back for the next chapter, very soon!**


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